Concealed fastener for wall brackets



Dec. 26, 1933. sMlTH QONCEALED FASTENER FOR WALL BRACKETS Filed Jan. 16.1931 1/5 1:7 jazazfifl S Iffi.

' Patented Dec. 26, 1933 UNITED STATES CONCEALED FASTENER FOR WALLBRACKETS Edwin A. Smith, Chicago, 111., assignor to American EnameledProducts Company, Chicago, 111., a corporation of Illinois ApplicationJanuary 16, 1931. Serial No. 509,183

7 Claims. (01. 248-20) This invention relates to wall brackets orfixtures and concerns itself more particularly with a fastener thereforof the character which is concealed when the bracket or fixture ismounted on a'wall or other support.

Wall brackets and fixtures are generally designed nowadays exteriorly tofit in with the artistic scheme of the walls or other supports to whichthey are intended to be secured, or 10 with the rooms 'in which thewalls or supports are located. Naturally, it is desirable that suchbracket or fixture be secured in such a manner as not to present to viewany screws, bolts or the like, due to the fact that such fasteninginstrumentalities detract greatly from the appearance both of thebracket and of the room in general. It is moreover desirable to securethe bracket or the like to its support in such a manner as to beadjustable thereon, yet securely held in place. While, in the past, somebrackets, fixtures and the like have constituted tile blocks embedded inwalls and the like, such construction necessitates a permanentconnection which is often times undesirable, since it is impossible tochange the position of the bracket relative to its support. Often times,moreover, it is difficult to position such a bracket with respect to awall exactly as one may wish, and as a result the bracket is located ata point which is somewhat inconvenient to the user.

It is accordingly one of the principal objects of the invention toprovide a fastener construction which retains all the desirablecharacteristics as to design and otherwise, of wall brackets 35 orfixtures, without the disadvantages attending the same, and which inaddition incorporates improvements over brackets or the like heretoforein vogue.

The invention contemplates, moreover, as one of its objects, theprovision of a concealed fastening means for a wall bracket or fixture,which means will serve to hold the marginal portions of the bracket orthe like in tight engagement with the support so that the bracket may inevery respect harmonize with the design of the support to therebypresent a pleasing appearance.

Another object of the invention is to provide 50 concealed fasteningmeans of the character referred to which includes a cam device to urgethe bracket into engagement with the wall or other support to which itis secured.

Another object of the invention consists in providing a concealedfastening means providtions by the screw or stud and the inclined walling for adjustment of the bracket'or fixture relative to the support.

To the above and other ends, in carrying out the invention intopractice, the bracket or fixture forming the subject-matter of thepresent invention is provided with a hollow base adapted to engage thesupporting wall. Interiorly of the base is a frusto-conical surfacefacing toward the bracket proper, the basebeing tapped for engagementwith an interiorly projecting stud having a preferably conical end. Acup-like member having a preferably fiat base and a frusto-conical skirtcircular in shape and of a maximum diameter less than the minimumdiameter of the inclined surface of the base is adapted to be associatedwith the interior of the base in such a manner that the outer surface ofthe skirt has a substantially line contact with the inclined surfacewithin the base. Screws are preferably provided to fasten the cup-likemember to a wall or other support, with the outer surface of the skirtfacing such wall or support.

When it is desired toposition the bracket to a wall or the like, thecup-like member is first fastened in the desired location and, with thestud backed away, the base is slipped over the skirt of the cup-likemember, whereupon the screw is tightened down into contact with theskirt, said skirt being engaged at diametrically opposite porinteriorlyof the base of the bracket. With the parts thus arranged the stud is,for all practical purposes, hidden from view.

With the construction set forth above, it is apparent that the fasteningmeans is entirely concealed, constructed of a minimum number of parts,is easily secured to and removed from the support and, with one settingof the cup-like member, the bracket may be positioned circumferentiallyin any position relative to said member.

Other and further important objects and advantages of this inventionwill be apparent from the disclosure in the specification andaccompanying drawing.

This invention (in its preferred form) is illustrated in the drawing andhereinafter more fully described.

Figure 1 is an elevational view of a fixture held by bracketscontemplated by the invention, each bracket serving to conceal thebracket-securing means;

Figure 2 is an enlarged sectional view, partly in elevation, showing theconcealed securing means made in accordance with this invention,

and taken approximately in the plane indicated by the line IL-II of Fig.1;

Figure 3 is a view partly in section and partly in elevation, takenapproximately'in the plane indicated by the line III--III in Figure 2.

Referring nowv more particularly to the drawing, wherein the same partsare designated by the' same reference characters, the form of bracketmade in accordance with the present invention is indicated at l and isprovided with a hollow base 2 whose margin 3 is adapted to lie flushwith the surface of the wall 4 or other support, as seen in Fig. 2. .Thebase 2 is provided with an interior frusto-conical surface 5 facing awayfrom the wall, and a tapped opening 6 communicating with the interior ofthe base and receiving a set screw or stud 7, having a conical inwardlyextending end 8.

A circular frusto-conical cup-like member 9 is provided with a centralportion 10 adapted to be secured to a wall or the like by means ofscrews 11 or the like, and has a maximum diameter which is somewhat lessthan the minimum diameter of the surface 5 of the base 2 of the bracket1, so that, with the stud 7 backed away, the base can be slipped overthe cup-like member 9. When this is done, the bracket 1 is shiftedcircumferentially of the member 9 until the bracket is in the desiredposition, whereupon the stud 7 is rotated until the conical end 8thereof tightly grips the outer frusto-conical surface 12 of the member9. With the parts thus arranged, it will be appreciated that theinclined surface 5 of the base'2 and the conical end 8 of the stud '7grip diametrically opposite portions of the surface 12 of the cup-likemember 9, and as the stud 7 is tightened into engagement with the member9, a camming action occurs, whereby the base 2 is forced into tightengagement with the surface of the wall 4. As the surface 5 of the base2 is of greater depth than the cup-like member 9, tightening up of thebase against the wall may be accomplished without interference.

The bracket 1 may be of an individual character to support any desiredarticle, or it may form one of a pair such as illustrated in Fig. 1 forholding a towel or hand-rail such as is used in bathrooms, in thedesired position on a wall or the like. With the present construction,it is evident that for all practical purposes the fastening means willbe entirely concealed, so that the artistic design of the brackets maybe made to conform with that of their surroundings, so that the same maybe enjoyed to the fullest extent.

The construction is so extremely simple as to require minimum time forassembly and dis-assembly, and it is evident that each bracket may bepositioned anywhere circumferentially of its corresponding cup-likemember 9 without the slightest disturbance of such cup-like member.

I am aware that many changes may be made and numerous details ofconstruction may be varied through a wide range without departing fromthe principles of this invention, and I, therefore, do not purposelimiting the patent granted hereon otherwise than necessitated by theprior art.

I claiin as my invention:

1. A bracket including a base having an inwardly disposed conicalsurface and adapted to be secured to a support, and means including amember fixed to said support and having a peripheral conical surfacedisposed within the first said surface, said surfaces being disposed inforced interlocking engagement with each other and being tendingparallel thereto, the first mentioned sur-.

face having a minimum diameter somewhat in excess of the maximumdiameter of the second surface, whereby said surfaces may be telescoped,and a stud in said bracket andextending transverse to said surfaces andengageable with the second mentioned surface to force said surfaces intointer-engagement and thereby prevent removal of the bracket from saidmember.

3. A bracket having a base, said base having an interior conical surfacefacing in a direction away from the support to which the bracket isadapted to be secured, a dished member having a frustoconical outersurface adapted to be surrounded by the first mentioned surface andextending parallel thereto, the first mentioned surface having a minimumdiameter somewhat in excess ofthe maximum diameter of the secondsurface, whereby said surfaces may be telescoped, and a stud in saidbracket and extending transverse to said surfaces and engageable withthe second mentioned surface to force said surfaces intointer-engagement and thereby prevent removal of the bracket from saidmember, said stud when thus positioned being for all practical purposesconcealed from view by said bracket.

4. A bracket having a base, said base having an interior conical surfacefacing in a direction away from the support to which the bracket isadapted to be secured, a dished member having a frustoconical outersurface adapted to be surrounded by the first mentioned surface andextending parallel thereto, the first mentioned surface having a minimumdiameter somewhat in excess of the maximum diameter of the secondsurface, whereby said surfaces may be telescoped, and a stud in saidbracket and extending transverse to said surfaces and engageable withthe second mentioned surface to force said surfaces intointer-engagement and thereby prevent removal of the bracket from saidmember, said stud and the first surface engaging diametrically opposedportions of the second surface. l

5. A circular dished member having a flat surface, means for securingsaid member to a support with the flat surface in engagement with thesupport, said member having a flared skirt extending away from thesupport, a bracket having a base surrounding said member, and adjustablemeans on said base accessible for adjustment from outside the bracketwhen the bracket is in place for engaging said skirt between the sameand the support and to cause forced engagement between said member andsaid bracket for preventing removal of the bracket from said engagingsaid skirt between the same'and the support, and to cause forcedengagement between said member and said bracket for preventing removalof the bracket from said member, said memher and means being concealedfor all practical purposes.

EDWIN A. SMITH.

